Qcom firms go on an EV drive, but cost, charging infra remain roadblocks

Major delivery platforms commit to adopting EVs for last-mile deliveries, but upfront costs of EV two-wheelers and lack of reliable charging infrastructure remain barriers

On the occasion of World Electric Vehicles (EV) Day on September 9, quick commerce (qcom) firms said that they are accelerating efforts to electrify their delivery fleets as last-mile orders continue to rise. These companies are forging partnerships with EV manufacturers, designing company-specific roadmaps, and setting targets for green mobility.

 

Ambitious electrification plans

 

As part of increasing the adoption of EVs among delivery partners, Blinkit's parent company, Eternal, recently launched a pilot EV rental bike fleet in Delhi with 300 two-wheelers, which allowed partners to experience the benefits of EVs over internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, according to Anjalli Ravi Kumar, chief sustainability officer of Eternal. "We have partnered with over 40 EV rental agencies, financing and battery swapping companies, and logistics providers," Kumar said, adding that in March 2025 alone, Blinkit had over 15,000 active EV-based delivery partners.

 

Zepto, too, said it is focused on increasing its fleet of environmentally-friendly vehicles. Vikas Sharma, chief operating officer (COO), said: "In 2024, we partnered with Battery Smart to access India’s largest network of battery swapping stations. We have joined hands with Yulu to deploy 20,000 EVs across cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurugram. This partnership not only accelerates our transition to an all-electric fleet but also enhances employability by providing delivery partners with access to vehicles."

 

Not only Blinkit and Zepto, but Flipkart Minutes, the qcom arm of e-commerce giant Flipkart, emphasised that the company is committed to building a sustainable last-mile delivery network. "Currently, over 20 per cent of our deliveries are fulfilled using EVs, and we are actively working towards expanding our fleet by partnering with leading providers such as Yulu and Zypp, helping reduce carbon emissions," a Flipkart spokesperson said.

 

Another qcom platform, BigBasket, which has set a goal to transition a minimum of 60 per cent of its delivery fleet to EVs by FY28, said it follows an annual incremental roadmap, aligned with market conditions, availability of EV supply, and development of supporting infrastructure. "As these enablers continue to mature, we remain confident in accelerating our EV adoption roadmap. As of now, 31 per cent of our fleet is already electrified, reflecting steady progress towards our long-term objective," T K Balakumar, COO of BigBasket, said.

 

Apart from qcom players, e-commerce major Amazon, which is making inroads into the segment, said decarbonisation remains a core pillar of its sustainability strategy in India. "We set a target to deploy 10,000 EVs in our delivery fleet, and proudly achieved this milestone ahead of schedule in October 2024. Our EVs are now delivering in over 500 cities," said Abhinav Singh, vice president of operations for Amazon India. In 2019, Amazon set a goal to achieve net-zero carbon across its operations by 2040.

 

Hobbled by infrastructure

 

While delivery platforms said they are committed to sustainability, they also mentioned challenges such as limited awareness, affordability issues, and charging infrastructure in the country's EV ecosystem.

 

"For many, the switch to EVs presents challenges such as affordability, limited awareness, and an underdeveloped charging infrastructure. Although the charging ecosystem is improving, it still needs significant expansion to make EVs a viable option, especially in non-metro cities," Kumar of Eternal said. She added that petrol bikes remain preferred due to easy refueling, while the high upfront cost of EV ownership continues to be a major pain point for most delivery partners.

 

Echoing Kumar's views, Balakumar of BigBasket said: "The key barriers include limited access to affordable EV rental or lease plans with flexible porting options, which hampers ease of adoption. Additionally, battery-related downtime, particularly in vehicles that do not support fast charging, can negatively affect rider earnings and overall productivity. The lack of adequate public infrastructure, such as charging stations and secure parking spaces, creates further operational constraints."

 

Amazon added that not only in India, but globally, the challenges to shifting to an all-EV delivery fleet include limited charging infrastructure, energy dependency, and the need for vehicle designs suited to diverse delivery environments. 

Online delivery platforms race to electrify fleets

 

On the occasion of World Electric Vehicles (EV) Day today, online delivery platforms said that they are accelerating efforts to electrify delivery fleets as last-mile orders continue to rise. These companies are forging partnerships with EV manufacturers, designing company-specific roadmaps, and setting targets for green mobility.    - Udisha Srivastav